


Love hurts

by Ec123



Category: Endeavour (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-24
Updated: 2019-05-07
Packaged: 2019-11-29 06:11:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18219263
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ec123/pseuds/Ec123
Summary: Morse and Joan spend the night together......but not in the way you think.





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> Set shortly after Deguello

Joan loved her new job. Helping people; helping children…….well, it was certainly more rewarding than the bank. 

She had taken care to get some new clothes for work: smart, professional looking, although she couldn’t help being drawn to miniskirts; she made sure they were not too short. Today she had carefully picked out a brown tweed suit; the jacket with a rounded collar and, yes, a mini, with her boots and a pale pink blouse underneath.  
She had asked her flat mate if it passed for work. “Yeah, you’re alright. It’s very smart and you look your age” Alice had said. 

Viv had said nothing when she got to work; didn’t even raise an eyebrow so she guessed she passed inspection. Later she had commented that Joan looked nice today and asked if it was a special occasion in a good natured and sincere way, so Joan felt she looked her best. 

After the preliminary office work for the day; Joan was turned loose to collect signatures for paperwork. She groaned inwardly as she reviewed the papers.  
The one person she didn’t want to see; well his signature was needed on one of the papers for the Humbolt case.  
Could she never escape Morse?  
Her face burned just remembering his scathing disdain and making personal jabs in her office that day. True, they had never spoken of it again and had sort of patched things up and been friendly on occasion since then, but she dreaded having to seek him out now. There was still something there between them; anger on his side; regret and trying to soothe things over on hers. Theirs was a history of never talking about things.

She sighed and headed out the door. She told herself the other papers and signatures were closer and she could get them done quicker and THEN head out to the station for his. There was a slight drizzle starting and it was almost tea time as she caught the bus out to castle garden station.  
She had gathered from her father that they were shorthanded with staff as the station entered yet another transition.  
Dad had been promoted back to his rank though and she supposed the Morse partnership would continue on.  
Maybe her dad would be there and Morse would behave himself. 

Mr. Bright was in the entry doing something or other and she approached the desk and stated why she was there.  
Mr. Bright overheard and interjected, “You just missed your father, my dear, but Morse should be back at his desk soon; please come this way.”

He led her into the inner workings and to an office with two desks and told herself to make herself at home while she waited.  
Joan took her paperwork out of her satchel and tried to look official enough. She could see out the big glass windows and two figures she knew instantly as Jim Strange and Morse as they walked in the corridor. Jim saw through the window and gave her a nod before he walked off somewhere as Morse came in through the door.  
He looked flushed and his eyes narrowed as he saw her sitting there.  
“Right, so total prick mood for today, great” Joan thought to herself.  
“Is he sweating?” she thought she saw a bead of sweat across his brow as she tried to sound as pleasant as possible and stood up to greet him. “Hello, Morse”. 

He came closer but didn’t look himself; honestly he looked terrible like he was sick or something. He looked her up and down in an almost sneering annoyed way.  
“You know, If you wanted people to take you seriously, you should have worn something more appropriate than that.”  
His voice was dripping with disdain as he watched her expression and sat down at the desk.  
Joan bristled and wanted to slap him.  
She pursed her lips, “well then, I’ll leave you to your serious work”.  
She snapped her bag closed and stepped toward the door.  
Then she turned , her face flaming mad and met his eyes which had curiously softened and he gulped as though he knew he had hurt her and regretted his words.  
She spat out the words quickly and furiously, “Although, if you wanted anyone to be able to talk to you with a straight face you should get rid of that animal sitting on your upper lip.” 

She quickly turned back around so she wouldn’t see his reaction or hear his response and walked out. Then she kept walking all the way to her flat.  
She ran up to her room and banged the door shut. 

It wasn’t until then that she realized she had forgotten all about his signature.


	2. Two

“You okay?” Alice called up after her.

“Fine!” Joan shouted down. UGH, he always knew how to get to her! He made her so confused…..and angry! Why did she let him do it? She was too much like her dad, blowing her top at people. She hated that she even stooped to answering him back; should have just ignored him and kept it professional. How did it even turn out this way? Why was she so worried about his response?

Joan changed out of her suit that she had felt so pretty and confident in that morning. She sighed and pulled on a pair of jeans and a pink twinset her mother had bought for her. She was going over to mum and dads for Friday night dinner and it would mean a lot to mum if she wore it. She brushed her hair and put on some fresh lipstick and decided to take her satchel. 

She knew Morse had moved; maybe dad would let it slip where and she could get him to sign off this weekend instead of going to the station early Monday morning to see if he was in. She had to get it all done or Viv would have her guts.

 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“What you brought work with you?” mum asked as she came through the door. 

“No” Joan sang out; “I just need it for later”. 

“You have to take a break sometimes; you’re getting as bad as Morse!” Fred called out from in the dining room. 

“Hi Dad,” Joan answered peeping in the doorway.   
“Hello, Joanie”, said Fred, “although he did slow down to buy a place, did you know?” he asked.   
“Nope, haven’t seen him much” Joan answered noncommittedly as she shrugged and tried to look bored.   
“Some big old place off Woodstock road; right messy from squatters” Fred continued.  
“hmmmm, that so?” answered Joan.   
“Lots of work ahead for him I should think; he should slow down a bit to make it livable” Fred said absently.   
“That’s nice” What’s for dinner?” Joan tried to turn the conversation away from her having to comment on Morse’s life choices. 

“Chicken and vegetables”, answered Win as she came in from the kitchen, “Can you stay over? I thought it’d be nice if we went shopping together in the morning”  
Win squeezed her hand.   
“I’d love to mum, but I have to finish some paperwork tonight. Maybe tomorrow afternoon, huh?” Joan asked.  
“My my, look at you; don’t go burning the candle at both ends!” Win teased.   
“It’s just tonight, mum. Then I should be free” Joan assured her.  
Fred raised an eyebrow and probably wanted to weigh in again on her doing too much but held his tongue.   
They sat down to eat and thankfully the conversation shifted to Sam and to what mum and dad planned to grow in the garden this summer.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if anyone is following along; I haven't had much time to write and finish this story. More is coming!

It was a brisk night. The world was undecided if it would be spring or hang on to the last few tendrils of winter cold. It wasn’t too cold to walk though. 

Joan headed in the direction of Woodstock road, certain she knew the whereabouts of Morse’s house now. It had to be the junk heap where Stanley Clemence had stayed. It had been for rent when she and Viv had checked up on him once. Why on earth would Morse buy that place? she thought. It was certainly big enough. 

Sure enough, as she came around a hedge, there was the police car parked in the drive. This is definitely it, Joan thought. 

She had a moments hesitation before making herself push forward with courage.  
It’s not like I’m here with a black eye and full of shame, she fleetingly thought.   
Joan went up to the porch and knocked, softly at first and then louder.   
“Oh God, what if he’s with a girl?” the thought suddenly raced through her head and she blushed. 

She heard soft rustling as it sounded as if he was making his way to the door and a groan like he had just woken up.   
Joan braced herself for whatever displeasure he was sure to express and fling at her being there. 

The door was stuck and he pulled it open, “What?” he breathed out.   
He looked sleepy and sweaty, in shirtsleeves, his tie loose around the collar.   
Joan was immediately struck that he was now clean shaven, but distressed as he seemed disoriented but didn’t seem drunk and didn’t seem himself either.  
His eyes were not clear and focused as always and he was mumbling something. 

“What’s that, Morse? Are you alright?” Joan asked.   
He leaned against the wall of the inside hallway and mumbled again, “where’s Susan?” 

“Susan? Morse it’s me, Joan……Joan Thursday”. Joan’s hand instinctively went up to his forehead and she felt he was so so hot.  
“You’re burning up! Oh gosh, let’s get you inside”.   
She put her arm around his chest and led him back inside hoping he wouldn’t fall down because she would never be able to help him get up.   
She helped him in slowly to the living room where there were two couches facing each other , a small table between them, and a fireplace and little else.   
The couches looked clean so she helped him down on one of them and made him lie down. 

He was shivering and seemed weak so he didn’t protest and closed his eyes.   
Joan glanced around the room.   
It smelled faintly of paint and she noticed nearly 2 thirds had a fresh coat on while the rest still bore colorful graffiti. 

Morse mumbled again, “Where is Susan?”…..   
Joan again put her hands to his forehead trying to think of what to do.   
“Ahh.... Susan left me…..she’s with henry now” he rasped out.  
Joan blushed realizing he was delirious with the fever and that he had a whole history that she wasn’t even aware of.   
“Shhhhh….shhhh now, try to rest” she told him as she slid off his dangling tie.  
“Your hands are cool” he mumbled again.  
“Morse, I’m going to try to find a blanket for you; lay still”.

Joan left his side and began to look around. She ran up the stairs and searched the rooms.   
Most were empty, but she found the one he must be using as his bedroom.   
She grabbed a worn blue quilt off the mattress.   
On her way out, she noticed a black and white photograph on the mantle….a woman with a little boy.  
She drew close to look at it and gently touched it as she realized it must be Morse as a boy with his mother.  
She studied their faces as she heard Morse mumbling again downstairs so she quickly tore herself away and hurried down with the blanket.


End file.
